What does treating all human blood as if it were infectious refer to?

Treating all human blood as if it were infectious is known as universal precautions. This approach is essential in healthcare settings to protect both healthcare workers and patients from potential transmission of bloodborne pathogens. The principle behind universal precautions is the assumption that any blood or certain body fluids may contain infectious agents, regardless of the known health status of the individual.

By following universal precautions, healthcare providers use personal protective equipment, such as gloves and masks, whenever exposure to blood or body fluids is possible. This standard helps establish a consistent method for handling all patients in a way that minimizes the risk of infection, thereby ensuring safety and mitigating the potential spread of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.

The other options, such as engineering controls and work practice controls, refer to different strategies for minimizing hazards in the workplace, but they do not embody the foundational principle of assuming all blood is infectious. Asepsis refers to practices aimed at reducing germs and maintaining a sterile environment, which is also important but distinctly separate from the concept of universal precautions.